Button display cabinet



J. F. GILLESPIE June 8, 1954 BUTTON DISPLAY CABINET I Filed oct, 26, 195o 3. R s. 2 n. ,l me 3 X n l/ A if @jj f ,w mao/:

Patented June 8, 1954 BUTTON DISPLAY CABINET James F. Gillespie, Jamaica, N. Y., assigner to Red Star Button Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application October 26, 1950, Serial No. 192,192

(.Cl. S12-234) 2 Claims.

This invention pertains to a novel display of various types, sizes and designs or" buttons, and to relatively small size supporting means for holding many buttons viewable at all times while allowing for ready inspection and purchase of one or more of the various types or designs of buttons.

The invention also relates to a novel button displaying cabinet or support employed in making the advantageous display.

The invention also relates to an improved construction of button display cabinet where a great many buttons of various kinds are supported on the cabinet, or on cards which are held on the exterior of the cabinet. Also, this improved cabinet provides for an additional stock of buttons to be held inside the cabinet and preferably on a movable section so as to allow inspection of the additional buttons. The buttons inside the cabinet may be of additional types and Sizes, but usually constitute an extra supply of the buttons displayed on the exterior of the cabinet. rlhese extra buttons can be Withdrawn from. the inside of the cabinet and placed on the outside of the cabinet to replace the buttons which have been removed for purchasers. It is preferred to have the buttons mounted on cards in series of two, four, a half dozen, or a dozen or multiples thereof, so that they may be readily sold in a given quantity.

In addition, there is an advantage, for sales and handling purposes, to have the buttons mounted on an improved type of card, and to have the several cards mounted on or in supported members, sections, parts or portions of the cabinet.

This invention also relates to an improved structure of cabinet or support having its exterior surface preferably designed and apportioned to have a series of flat surfaces or faces so as to receive thereagainst a relatively flat surface of the various sizes of cards holding the several types of buttons. The cabinet also is constructed to-have its exterior part or member revolved so that all of the buttons may be quickly and readily seen.

A further advantageous feature of this cabinet is the provision of a revolving section of the cabinet inside the exterior part or member, and designed for the purpose of holding additional stock of the buttons, either on its shelf, or shelves, or hung from suitable fastening or holding means associated with the revolving section.

One of the main features of this invention is to provide an improved display cabinet or support for vbuttons preferably mounted on cards which are hung on the exterior of the cabinet, or to affix the buttons to the cabinet exterior in a fashion that allows quick and easy removal.

Another feature of the invention is to so mount the cards of buttons on the display cabinet that the buttons may be easily inspected for their designs, sizes and types, and selected for purchase. Such exterior mounting Yalso allows for ready inspection so that the quantity of remaining supply of a particular button may be quickly observed so that reordering may be made without delay, and thus keep in stock each kind, type and design of button.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an improved cabinet construction that is capable of being positioned or mounted in a very small space and to be able to display a large quantity of different sizes and types of buttons. The improved revolving type of cabinet gives this result. It is also desired to make this improved cabinet of a size and height that is of eye-height so that inspection of the types and kinds and designs of buttons may be noted quickly and easily.

A further feature of the invention is to provide an improved display cabinet on which other articles may be displayed for sale. For instance,

various displays may be provided for sets of bobby pins, ordinary pins, combs, dress findings, dress shields, and other articles usable in the sewing or dressing room and which may be readily presented ior selection and purchases. The improved cabinet and any special or modiiied structure may also be used to display small items of hardware, such as screws, nuts, bolts and small Screwdrivers, etc.

While the preferred construction of the improved button display cabinet provides for rotating one or more parts about vertical axes, the cabinet may also be constructed to have the movements or rotation about an axis or axes that is or are somewhat parallel to the horizontal, or at some angles between the vertical and the horizontal.

Other features and advantagesof the invention will be noted when the detailed description below is read, in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein,

Fig. l is a top plan view of the improved display cabinet and showing a door in open position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the display cabinet;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken at 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively the front elevational view and a top plan view of a smaller and modified form of a display cabinet; and

Fig. 8 is a view of one of the cards for holding the products to be displayed.

Referring now to the drawings, the improved cabinet as a whole is represented by i8, and in its preferred construction is composed of a base I9 usually of cross pieces 2Q and 2l, and an upright shaft 22, and an exterior display member 23, preferably of the cylindrical type with various widths of dat surfaces 2li, 26, 2l, 2li, and the like to accommodate different sizes and lengths of cards. On the interior of the member 23 of the cabinet there is provided a part or section 2li which can be moved relatively to, or independently of, or separately from the exterior member portion 23 of the cabinet.

For the purpose of accomplishing the main object of the invention, it is desired to provide a display cabinet which will satisfactorily hold in viewable position as many of the products as possible that are to be displayed for sales or inspection purposes. In this preferred construction, it is desired to employk cylindrical member 23 with enough surfaces of different sizes for holding any products to be displayed. When displaying buttons, it is particularly desired to mount the buttons on the improved card til, illustrated in Fig. 8, and show the buttons so mounted thereon as in Figs. 2, fl and 4. These improved cards according to their width and length, may be placed on the various size surfaces, represented by 2d, 2t, 2l and 28.

The cards may be in position on the exterior of' the cylindrical movable member 253 by any satisfactory means. ln this instance, a series of hooks 3| are employed for so holding the cards, all as indicated in Figs. l to 5 inclusive. It will be understood, however, that when other products are to be displayed on the exterior of member 23 that the exterior surface of the cylinder member 23 may be circular or may be of uniform Widths in flatness or may be varied in having different widths, as shown in Fig. l. A plurality of cards may ber hung on each hook, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and it is preferred that each of the cards on the same hook holds the same type, kind and size of buttons, or even holds other buttons, other items or products.

The display cabinet is preferably provided with a top 32 of any particular form, and in thisv instance, it is curved as shown in Figs. l to 4, inclusive. Any other suitable type of design or variation may be employed, if` desired, to accommodate a series of shells from which the buttons are made and any type of plaque carrying a suitable trade-niark. Also, the bottom or lower portion of the cylinder 23 preferably extends down to cover the base i3.

' It is desired in this preferred. structure to provide a suitable means for reaching to the interior of the cylinder 23, and in this case a door 33 is provided for opening and closing to give access to any part of the interior of the cabinet. This door 33 is provided with varying sizes of exterior surfaces upon which the cards of buttons, or other products, may be mounted and held.

It will be noted that the exterior of the cabinet will accommodate a great many of the cards of buttons when used for display purposes and allow the purchaser to quickly inspect all the various types, sizes and kinds of buttons, and rotate the cylinder 23 to make the selection quickly. In addition, the cabinet is constructed for the purpose of providing at convenient eye-height a relatively small size cabinet for the number of products or buttons that are to be displayed. This relatively small cabinet may be placed on a counter in astore or on a ledge or at any other suitable place where inspection, selection and purchase may be readily made without delay.

e In the improved cabinet herein, it is desired to have the interior section 29 of the cabinet mounted to be movable relatively to, or independently of, or separately from the exterior cylinder member 23, and this inner section of the cabinet is. preferably constructed of a top shelf 36 and a lower shelf 3l' with suitable joining means such as rods 38 between them. Also independent shelves like shelf 35 may be mounted on the shaft 22 for rotation independently and adapted to receive andhold various cards of buttons or other products, or they may receive order books and products of that nature. For the purpose of easy rotational movement the section 2t is assembled to rotate on ballbearings 39. The section 2li may be constructed in any desired form to provide for holding and keeping additional button stock. .es shown in Figs. 2 and Ll, a series of cards with buttons thereon are shown onK the top of shelf 3E and as hung on hooks 3i.

rihis section 29 allows for the accommodation of a very large additional stock that can be readily removed and placed on the outside of cylinder member 23, as desired, simply by having access to. the interior through door 33, and by suitably rotating the section 2S to select the desired type and size of button to be hung on the exterior' of member 23. if esired, the buttons on hooks 3l hung on the edge of shelf 36 may ce a new or additional type or kind that is not shown on the exterior of the cabinet. Easy inspection and selection of such additional buttons are obtained by opening the door 33 and revolving section 2t.

On the interior of the cabinet, shelves d and il are provided and preferably are solidly attached to the exterior cylinder member 23. Shelf ll may be used for additional supply of products to be displayed and sold on the outside of the cabinet. Also, shelf il will accommodate a record or order book i2 or any other products when desired.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, a much smaller type of display cabinet is shown. ln this smaller cabinet, it is desired to increase the length of hooks 3i so that most of the different types and kinds of buttons will be held on the exterior of the cabinet. In this smaller cabinet the member 23 is made cylindrical and still permits the cards of buttons to be readily held on the hooks 3l. Vith this smaller size of cabinet, it is possible to still provide a display or" the large number of different kinds and types of buttons in a relatively small space. Such a modied form of cabinet is quickly made and may be readily employed in the small department stores where space is of considerable premium and where there are a great many other products displayed for sale. This smaller cabinet may also be provided with a door, and also have one or more shelves mounted inside for holding extra stock. If desired, such shelves may be separately revolved from the outer member.

to present them ona holder.

notations of the prices and styles and the card illustrated in Fig. 8 has proved very satisfactory for the proper display and reordering of various types of buttons.

While the cabinet herein has been described for the purpose of displaying many kinds and types of buttons in a relatively small space or area so that ready inspection and selection may be made, it will be understood that this type of cabinet may be employed to present or display other relatively small products for sale and to be able to display many of such products Within a small area. For instance, when the cabinet is used for display and sale of other products, the holding means for such products may be transparent envelopes hung on the hooks or other- Wise fastened to the cabinet member 23 or to the section part 29 of the cabinet.

While the description herein of the preferred form of cabinet is directed to the vertical mounting of the cylindrical member 23 and section 29, it will be understood that for purposes of accomodating different positions in stores the cabinet may be tipped at angles to the vertical even to being parallel to the horizontal, and in such cases suitable holding means are to be incorporated so that the cards will be maintained against the outer surfaces of the cylindrical member 23 and held in position in the section 29.

Also, it is to be understood that the construction of the cylindrical member may be modified by making it a frame with openings therein like the ordinary Slat-type of fence, or a suitable lattice Work, both of which may be many sided by reason of the use of straight slats or lattice pieces, or they may be bent to form the regular round surfaces simulating a drum, or the like. Such modified structures are easily constructed so as to properly maintain the cards of buttons or other products on and in the cabinet so as to permit the ready inspection of a large number of various kinds and types of buttons or products, and to make selection without delay.

Any modifications or changes of the cabinet are to be considered as coming Within the scope of the invention herein, as outlined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1- In a display cabinet, the combination of a base, a vertical shaft mounted in said base, a cylindrical member of said cabinet mounted on said shaft and rotatable thereon, said cylindrical member having its outside surface provided with a plurality of fiat surfaces of different sizes and widths, holding means mounted on each of said fiat surfaces for receiving a series of cards of different widths with buttons thereon, said cards of particular widths being held by said holding means on the flat surfaces that correspond in widths to the widths of said cards, a door forming part of said cylindrical member and adapted to be opened and closed for access to the interior of said cylindrical member, said door having on its exterior a series of flat surfaces of different Widths and having holding means affixed to each of the various widths, and a second rotatable member mounted on said shaft and positioned within said cylindrical member for holding additional cards of buttons.

2. In a display cabinet, the combination of a base, a vertical shaft mounted in said base, a generally cylindrical member of said cabinet mounted on said shaft and rotatable thereon, said cylindrical member having its exterior surface modified to provide a series of flat surfaces of different size widths, hooks mounted on said fiat surfaces for receiving a series of.v cards with buttons thereon, said cards having various widths and being positioned on said at surfaces that are substantially of the same width, a door forming part of said cylindrical member and adapted to be opened and closed for access to the interior of said cylindrical member, a second rotatable member mounted on said shaft and positioned within said cylindrical member, said second rotatable member having a series of shelves for receiving various cardsA of buttons, hooks mounted in the edges of said shelves for holding some of the cards of buttons, said second i member being separately rotatable from said first cylindrical member and being viewable from the exterior of said cabinet when said door is open, and a second shelf aixed to the interior of said first cylindrical member for rotation therewith and for holding additional cards of buttons and other products, said second shelf being positioned below said rst series of shelves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 353,419 Lamson Nov. 30, 1886 483,469 Mosser Sept. 27, 1892 574,380 Bradley Jan. 5, 1897 799,233 Hubbell Sept. 12, 1905 969,959 Knight Sept. 13, 1910 1,210,258 Babione Dec. 26, 1916 1,678,088 Sideman July 24, 1928 1,732,298 Arthur Oct. 22, 1929 2,271,284 Baxter et al Jan. 27, 1942 

